Gross monthly income from work refers to income earned from
employment. For employees, it refers to the gross monthly wages or
salaries before deduction of employee CPF contributions and personal
income tax. It comprises basic wages, overtime pay, commissions, tips,
other allowances and one-twelfth of annual bonuses. For self-employed
persons, gross monthly income refers to the average monthly profits from
their business, trade or profession (i.e. total receipts less business
expenses incurred) before deduction of income tax.

Before 2009, full-time refers to employment where the normal hours
of work is at least 30 hours a week while part-time refers to employment
where the normal hours of work is less than 30 hours a week. From 2009
onwards, the threshold between full-time and part-time was revised from
30 hours to 35 hours to align with the revised definition in the
Employment Act.

Data for 2005 are not available as the Comprehensive Labour Force
Survey was not conducted due to the conduct of the General Household
Survey by Department of Statistics, Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Friday's trade was light on the last session
of the month and before the long holiday weekend. US financial markets
will be closed Monday for the Labour Day federal holiday.

Uncertainty
about Syria, coupled with uncertainty about the Federal Reserve's
September policy meeting and low trading volumes, produced a "buyer's
strike" this week, said David Levy, portfolio manager of Kenjol Capital
Management.

"There's just no impetus to buy," Levy said. "We're
heading into a three-day weekend with plenty of uncertainty and we're
also heading into a month with quite a bit of uncertainty."

Wednesday, 28 August 2013

SINGAPORE: Singapore shares prices fell 1.0% on Wednesday for the 10th straight session of losses.
The blue-chip Straits Times Index (STI) shed 29.84 points to close at 3004.18.
The fall was in line with Asian market weakness.
Jitters
over a possible US military strike against Syria hit Asian markets and
added to recent worries the US may pull back on its stimulus.
The STI initially dipped below its 3000 support but recovered some ground towards the closing.
In the broader market, losers outnumbered gainers 373 to 114 and trading volume totalled 3.05 billion shares.
Thai Beverage was among the losers, shedding 7.7% to close at S$0.420.
Real-estate
stocks were hit by the latest government property-cooling measures
announced, with CapitaLand down 2.3% to S$2.93 while City Developments
lost 2.2% to end at S$9.76.

But
habits remain important even when the working stops. In fact, after
waiting decades to give up on their full-time careers, many retirees
wake up to the realization that they actually need their daily routines
more than ever to help them structure and make sense of their suddenly
wide-open schedules.

How do they do it? What habits are particularly helpful for today’s
retirees? We reached out to our Yahoo! Contributor Network community to
find out what habits our retired members rely on and how they help them
make the most of their golden years. Several of their responses are
shown below.

I Challenge Myself Every Day

“I face it daily. At age 88, being retired for so many years is often
challenging. My method of coping is to keep busy, both mentally and
physically. Every morning I swim or hike for an hour. Then I attack
blogging, my most energizing new routine. Actually, I've been a writer
all my life, and made quite a good living at it in advertising and
public relations. However, most was done on typewriters, and later on
desktop computers before the Internet explosion.

“To create an active retirement, I attack the need for mental fitness
as I fulfill physical conditioning. It requires work, stretching my
mind as I do my body. At my advanced age, it's often very challenging,
but it's also a lot of fun.” -- Ted Sherman, 88

Working Part-Time Is My Key to a Happy Retirement

“Working
is a life-long habit -- a habit I decided to keep when I retired last
year at age 62. Now, however, I work only part-time. I've been a
substitute teacher since day one of my retirement. Substitute teaching
is inherently a part-time job. Workers drawing Social Security in 2013
may earn up to $15,120 annually without reducing their monthly benefits.
Subbing ensures that my earnings won't exceed the annual limit. And,
because I'm working, my Social Security benefits keep on increasing. I
also maintain ‘active’ employee status in the public school retirement
system, and continue to accrue contributions to my pension.

“Substituting connects me to creative, bright students. They ‘keep me
on my toes,’ and I share my years of experience with them. There's a
mutual exchange of teaching and learning. Working part-time in
retirement brings balance. I have the best of both worlds.” – Susan Durham, 63

A Good Retirement Begins With Friendships

“When I stopped teaching, along with that went the interactions
between my students and me and my colleagues and me. I had friends, but
not as many as I wanted; an extremely demanding work schedule had meant
little time for friends, let alone a family.

“As a single woman, I knew I had to reach out to others. I made sure I
had a plan in place to get out with people, make new friends, and to
reach back to others in my past to get out and have some fun. I began
filling up Fridays with dates for shopping, lunches, an occasional
movie, and more. I am a natural hermit, but I knew being solitary was
not good for my mental or physical well-being.” – Sandra Snow, 61

Retirement Is All About Attitude

“Although
many factors contribute to my successful retirement, being a consistent
and dedicated surfer helped me attain many of my retirement goals.
Surfing requires focus, dedication and timing to name a few things. Most
of us will excel in any endeavor utilizing these three elements. I have
found a productive activity that I love and I turned it into a habit.
The success of my retirement depended on it.

“Surfing has been my motivation most of my life now, and is something
I do several times a week near my home on the Big Island of Hawaii.
Staying in good shape is very important to me. Surfing is fun and
challenging with many hidden benefits. It most certainly has enhanced my
life in more ways that I can tell.” -- Rik Rodriguez, 56

Scheduling Time Makes for More Satisfying Retirement Days

“If you have a regular date with a garden club, book club, or just a
coffee klatch, those ‘appointments’ give you a daily dose of meaningful
moments that are priceless. I make a point every week to send birthday
cards, letters, or messages to friends far away in distance, but never
in heart. I don't depend on time for these things to just appear -- I
plan for it! These remembrances really make a difference to you and the
ones you remember!” – Tresa Patterson, 54

Volunteering Makes for a Successful Retirement

“Volunteering
gives me the opportunity to meet new interesting and talented people.
For example, I currently volunteer as an usher at the Chapman Cultural
Center’s David Read Theatre in Spartanburg, SC. The theatre hosts plays,
musical entertainers, movies, lectures, etc. The perks of volunteering
are that I get to attend the events I usher for free. I have made many
new friends, and I am able to learn while I have fun!

“Volunteering at my church also contributes to my happy retirement. I
attend Restoration Church in Spartanburg, SC and volunteer as a
greeter, serve on the decorating team, and at special events.” – Freida Thomas, 51

SHENYANG, CHINA, August 28, 2013 -
Sembcorp is pleased to announce the expansion of its water business in
China's Liaoning province with two new wastewater treatment projects in
industrial parks in Panjin city. Its wholly-owned subsidiary Sembcorp
China will sign agreements later today for new wastewater treatment
projects in Panjin City's Panjin Fine Chemical Industrial Park and
Panjin Liaodong Bay New District.

The signings will take place on the sidelines of the
Singapore-Liaoning Economic and Trade Council meeting in Shenyang, and
will be witnessed by Singapore's Acting Minister for Manpower and Senior
Minister of State for National Development Tan Chuan-Jin and Liaoning
Governor Chen Zheng Gao.

a) Wastewater treatment project in Panjin Fine Chemical Industrial Park
The first of the agreements will be a joint venture agreement to build,
own and operate a new RMB 117.3 million (approximately S$24.3 million)
industrial wastewater treatment plant to serve industrial customers in
Panjin Fine Chemical Industrial Park (PFCIP). Sembcorp will hold a 95%
share in the joint venture, with the remaining 5% held by Panjin Fine
Chemical Industrial Park Development, a company wholly-owned by the
Panjin Fine Chemical Industrial Park Administrative Commission.
Completion is subject to certain conditions precedent, including the
signing of memoranda of understanding with key customers and necessary
government approvals.

The first phase of the plant will have a capacity of 10,000 cubic
metres per day, with commercial operations targeted to commence by the
first quarter of 2015.

Panjin Fine Chemical Industrial Park is located in Panjin City, where
China’s third-largest oil field – Liaohe Oil Field – is located. The
chemical park houses a 7 million tonnes per annum refinery and a 800,000
tonnes per annum ethylene cracker operated by North Huajin Chemical
Industries Group Corporation, a wholly-owned entity of China North
Industries Group Corporation (Norinco). Norinco is wholly-owned by the
State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the
State Council of the People's Republic of China, and is one of the
country’s largest industrial conglomerates.

b) Wastewater treatment project in the Panjin Liaodong Bay New District
The second agreement to be signed will be a non-binding agreement with
the Panjin Liaodong Bay New District Administrative Committee, which
supplements an exclusive concession granted to Sembcorp for the
provision of wastewater treatment to companies located in a 60.3-square
kilometre industrial park in the west of the Panjin Liaodong Bay New
District.

Sembcorp plans to develop an industrial wastewater treatment plant
with an initial capacity of 22,000 cubic metres per day, to serve
customers in the industrial park. The plant will be capable of treating
highly concentrated industrial wastewater, and is expected to cost
around RMB 185 million (S$38.4 million). It is targeted for completion
by the first quarter of 2015. The Panjin Liaodong Bay industrial park is
a national-level development park with strong growth potential, and is
located close to the Panjin Fine Chemical Industrial Park.

Commenting on the signings, Alan Yau, CEO of Sembcorp China, said,
“These new agreements build on the momentum created with the signing of
the strategic cooperation framework between our company and the Liaoning
Provincial Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation in 2011.

“Sembcorp is excited to embark on these new projects and extend our
expertise in complex industrial wastewater treatment to more industrial
parks in Liaoning. In providing effective, reliable industrial
wastewater solutions backed by an international track record and a
strong reputation for environmental sustainability, we hope to support
the central and provincial government in their drive to develop the
province into an economic powerhouse under the ‘Liaoning Coastal
Economic Belt Strategy’.

“Sembcorp will continue to deepen our foothold in Liaoning, given the
increasingly important role it will play in China’s economic
development as a centre to drive greater prosperity in the northeast.
Through our proven utilities solutions, backed by our track record of
operating in world-class chemical and petrochemical sites, Sembcorp will
also continue to add value as a partner to the government in its
efforts to develop a world-class chemical and petrochemical industry
here.”

As a Group, Sembcorp has invested in China for close to two decades.
Its presence spans 15 provinces across the country. Sembcorp has the
expertise to provide essential utilities like energy, water and
wastewater treatment, as well as urban development solutions such as
sustainable, self-sufficient townships, to support China’s continued
growth. In addition, its commitment to sustainability is aligned with
the strong emphasis on environmental protection in China’s 12th
Five-year Plan. In Liaoning province, Sembcorp’s utilities business
currently operates in Fushun, Xinmin and Shenyang.

These transactions are not expected to have a material
impact on the earnings per share and net asset value per share of
Sembcorp Industries for the current financial year.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wall Street stocks suffered their worst day
since June on Tuesday, slumping in a broad decline as geopolitical
uncertainty rose over a possible U.S.-led military strike by the West
against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

The S&P 500 closed under its 100-day moving average for the
first time since June 24, a sign of weak near-term momentum. The day's
fall extended recent declines on uncertainty over when the U.S. Federal
Reserve will start to slow its stimulative monetary policies.

Odds grew that a strike would
occur against al-Assad's forces for a chemical weapons attack against
civilians as a number of nations and groups - including Britain, France,
Canada and the Arab League - joined Washington in urging a firm
response to Assad. Adding to the tension, Russia has supported Assad
Syria's civil war.

Monday, 26 August 2013

Fujian-based food producer China Minzhong has called a
trading halt on its shares after a report published by short-seller
Glaucus Research Group caused its shares to plunge 48 per cent -PHOTO: CHINA MINZHONG FOOD CORP

Fujian-based food producer China Minzhong has called a trading
halt on its shares after a report published by short-seller Glaucus
Research Group caused its shares to plunge 48 per cent.
China Minzhong called for the halt at 11.15 am on Monday, pending the "release of material announcement".

Its shares opened at S$1.015 each but rapidly plunged to 53 cents,
down 48.5 cents or 48 per cent. More than 24 million shares changed
hands.

In a 49-page report published this morning, Glaucus alleged that
Minzhong fabricated sales to its top two customers, and that its
financial performance for its fresh produce segment, with average
margins of 66 per cent in the past five years, was too good to be true.

Createwealth8888:This is an eyes opening event for new arrivals to the stock market of what can happen.Down 50% in just two hours!!!We must constantly remind ourselves.All investment by nature is risky. We need to protect ourselves against huge losses and wiping out too much of our capital. It is very hard to recover.

According to Phillip Securities, 1H13 has remained a strong quarter in terms of order wins for rig builders.

Here's more from Phillip Securities:

Keppel Corp bagged S$3.5bn worth
of contracts, which included a S$1bn contract from SOCAR for a semi-sub
rig based on its proprietary KFELS DSS 38M design, customized for the
Caspian Sea’s harsh environment condition.

The group has a net order book of S$13.1bn, with visibility until
2019. Similarly, Sembcorp Marine fared well with total new orders of
S$3.5bn, including S$750mn worth of contract for an ultra-high spec
jack-up rig based on the proven Gusto MSC CJ70 design for Noble.

The group’s net order book is at a new record high of S$14.4bn.

Createwealth8888's Guesstimation

If net margin is too squeezed by more competitions, Kep Corp's earning should be okay.

Sunday, 25 August 2013

Investment-linked plans, ETFs and unit trusts are options for average S'porean with little time

Createwealth8888:

Okay. Fair enough as Red Flag has been raised too.

"As regular-premium ILPs usually pay the insurance coverage charges by selling fund units, the liquidated amount for a fund that performs poorly may not be sufficient to cover the rising insurance coverage costs as you get older, may thus erode the investment objective."

After a few years in investing, many retail investors will have read enough, hear enough, see enough and know enough what to do with their capital.

But few of them actually do what they know.

How come?

Knowing is not enough?Tell me how many of them actuallycommitthemselves to written investment strategies, plan, short-term goals e.g. Yearly; and long-term goals e.g. 10-Year and watch over them diligently so they can revise their investment strategies to meet their long-term goals when their short-term goals seem at risks of meeting their long-term goals and objectives.Some may think that keeping records of their investment is the same as tracking and measuring their investment performance.It is not!!!
Read? Measuring investment performance

The Market Makers play the role of the Bankers and especially true for markets such as covered warrants and retail forex. The market sharks are also waiting at
major technical charting points, turning points or levels and they have
all the resources and expertise to know the charts better than anyone
here and we are so naive to think that we can beat the market sharks at
their game. So just open your eyes wide and understand why sometime market moves unexpectedly in the opposite direction -The Sharks are in Action!

IT APPEARS the first-time car buyer is becoming a rare species in Singapore, saved from extinction only by wealthy parents- PHOTO: ST

Singapore

IT APPEARS the first-time car buyer is becoming a rare species in Singapore, saved from extinction only by wealthy parents.

According to some motor distributors here, the number of first-time
buyers has dropped sharply from six months ago when the Monetary
Authority of Singapore (MAS) introduced vehicle financing restrictions.
Since Feb 25, a 40 per cent cash downpayment is required if the OMV or
open market value of the car being bought is below $20,000, and 50 per
cent if the OMV is above $20,000.

So if the average entry-level car costs $120,000, then the 40 per cent downpayment would come up to $48,000.

Friday, 23 August 2013

Thursday, 22 August 2013

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended lower in choppy trading on
Wednesday after minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve's July meeting
offered few clues on the timing of a reduction in its bond-buying
program.

Minutes from the meeting showed almost all the policymakers on the
central bank's Federal Open Market Committee agreed that a change to the
stimulus was not yet appropriate, and only a few thought it would soon
be time to "slow somewhat" the pace of the stimulus policy.

"The minutes didn't tell us much. It tells us that like everybody
else the Fed is confused and they are not getting any clear signals from
the economy. That is what you see in an economy bumbling along at 2
percent," said Erik Davidson, deputy chief investment officer for Wells
Fargo Private Bank in San Francisco.

The release of the minutes in midafternoon sparked volatility in
equity markets, as the major indexes fluctuated between session lows and
highs in the final hours of trading.

The volatility was exacerbated by light volume, with about 5.58
billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE MKT and
Nasdaq, below the daily average of 6.31 billion.

Yields on the 10-year U.S. Treasuries note rose after the announcement, touching 2.89 percent. (US/)

Market participants have been cautious recently, with the S&P
500 dropping for five of the past six sessions amid uncertainty over how
soon the Fed will begin to wind down its $85 billion a month stimulus
program.

"It's only a question of how much they are going to let up on the
gas. There is no question they will not be tapping on the brakes," said
Davidson.

Some Fed officials have said the
policy, which has fueled Wall Street's steep gains this year, could be
slowed as early as September, assuming economic growth meets its
targets.

Economic data earlier on Wednesday showed U.S. home resales rose in
July to their highest level in over three years, suggesting that a surge
in mortgage rates is having only a limited impact on the housing market
recovery.

The Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI) fell 105.52 points or 0.7 percent, to 14,897.47, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) lost 9.53 points or 0.58 percent, to 1,642.82 and the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) dropped 13.801 points or 0.38 percent, to 3,599.79.The Dow has fallen for six straight sessions, matching the longest losing streak since July 2012.

Wednesday, 21 August 2013

[SINGAPORE] Singapore's Sembcorp Industries Ltd said on
Wednesday a joint venture that owns and operates aUS$1 billion power
and water plant in Oman will launch an initial public offering next week
to raise around S$172.2 million (US$135 million).(CW8888: Taking back 13.5% of the investment through this IPOEI: Expected $36m and revaluation gain of $73m. Total = $109m)

Sembcorp Salalah Power and Water Co will offer 33.4 million existing
ordinary shares, representing 35 per cent of its issued share capital,
at 1.59 Omani rial or around S$5.17 per share. The IPO is set to be
launched on the Muscat Securities Market on Aug 28.

Sembcorp Utilities, a unit of Sembcorp Industries, currently has a 60
per cent stake in the joint venture. Oman Investment Corp (OIC) owns 35
per cent and Bahrain-based BDCC Investment Company (BDCC) holds 5 per
cent.

After the listing, Sembcorp will hold a 40 per cent stake, while OIC will have 21.9 per cent and BDCC 3.1 per cent. - Reuters

[KUALA LUMPUR] Indebted, commodity-dependent Malaysia will be in
investors' crosshairs on Wednesday as heavy selling of Indonesia and
India's currencies threatens to spread to other Asian economies seen as
most vulnerable to a withdrawal of US monetary stimulus.

After Indonesia, where concerns over a gaping current account deficit
sparked a stock market and currency rout this week, Malaysia and
neighbouring Thailand are seen as the most vulnerable Southeast Asian
markets to contagion effects.

"There is a lot of resemblance to prior crises like 1997-98. We have
had two countries going down, India and Indonesia, and now you have got
to start thinking about the third and fourth countries," said Pradeep
Mohinani, a Nomura credit analyst in Hong Kong.

"The likely candidates would be those with high fiscal deficits,
slowing economies and high foreign ownership of government bonds.
Thailand and Malaysia tick most of the boxes in that regard."

Economists
say that both those countries, as well as the fast-growing Philippines,
are to some extent protected from major turmoil by their much stronger
external balances compared with Indonesia and India.

Tuesday, 20 August 2013

Keppel FELS Limited (Keppel FELS) has been awarded a contract worth
about US$280 million by Floatel International Ltd (Floatel), to build
its fifth accommodation semisubmersible (semi) for delivery in 4Q 2015.

Keppel FELS previously delivered the accommodation semis, Floatel
Superior and Floatel Reliance, in 2010 and is currently constructing two
more - Floatel Victory and Floatel Endurance.

The new semi will be a sister vessel to Floatel Victory and will be built to Keppel's proprietary SSAUTM5000NG design.

Mr Wong Kok Seng, Managing Director (Offshore) of Keppel Offshore
& Marine and Managing Director of Keppel FELS said, "We have a
strong track record in the design and construction of accommodation
semis. This fifth order is a reflection of the win-win partnership we
have built with Floatel, the strength of our rig designs and the
reliability of our execution. The SSAUTM5000NG is customised for operations in deep and harsh environments with world class safety and efficiency."

"I am pleased to report that work on Floatel Victory and Floatel
Endurance are progressing on schedule and we look forward to providing
yet another quality vessel to Floatel safely, on time and within
budget."

Able to accommodate up to 500 persons in one- and two-man cabins, the
new semi will have state of the art accommodation and recreational
facilities which provide increased comfort for its occupants.

Mr
Peter Jacobsson, CEO of Floatel said, "Floatel Superior and Floatel
Reliance, which are in our operating fleet, are both committed on long
term contract and our two new buildings, Floatel Victory and Floatel
Endurance are committed for work immediately on delivery. This latest
order is another significant addition to our fleet of high end
accommodation vessels which will further enhance our offerings to the
market."

Createwealth8888's estimated Order Book

The new semi will incorporate the latest technology such as Dynamic
Positioning (DP) 3 capability and enhanced station-keeping, enabling it
to operate securely alongside fixed platforms, floating platforms and
Floating Production Storage and Offloading Vessels, with a full
complement of deck cranes, large open deck area, workshops and fire
fighting capabilities.

Mr Jacobsson added, "In teaming up with Keppel FELS, we are able to
assure our customers of having a technologically advanced rig which is
environmentally friendly and cost efficient. Gauging from past
deliveries, we have always received the rigs on time or ahead of time
and I am confident it will be the same for our next rigs to be
delivered, which can then start work earlier for our customers."

Floating accommodation platforms are needed to provide additional
living quarters for drilling and production personnel. Such support is
required during hook-up and commissioning in the development phase, for
maintenance and upgrading during the production phase, as well as for
decommissioning. This latest contract is not expected to have any
material impact on the net tangible assets and earnings per share of
Keppel Corporation Limited for the current financial year.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks lost ground on Monday, with each of
the major indexes falling for a fourth straight session, as investors
were hesitant to make new bets ahead of an expected shift in Federal
Reserve policy that could lead to higher interest rates.

The declines marked the longest losing streak of the year for the
Dow and S&P 500, while the Nasdaq matched its longest string of
declines since mid-June.

The Nasdaq was positive for most of the session, spurred by gains in technology shares, such as Apple Inc and Google Inc ,
before selling pressure in the last hour of trading turned the index
negative. Apple shares gained 1.1 percent to $507.74 while Google
advanced 1 percent to $865.65.

The Fed's policy of buying large amounts of bonds in an attempt to
keep interest rates low has been a major force in the nearly 16 percent
gain in the benchmark S&P 500 for the year. But many analysts expect
that to change at the Fed's September policy meeting.

With a relatively light calendar this week for economic indicators,
market participants are focused on the minutes from the July Fed
meeting, due on Wednesday, for possible clues into policymakers'
thinking.

"The market is just sitting on its hands right now until Wednesday
with the Fed," said Terry Morris, senior equity manager for National
Penn Investors Trust Company in Reading, Pennsylvania.

"The market has made a big run year-to-date and now investors have
to consider the possibility of rising interest rates that could be for
real, because the economy is growing for real, as opposed to all the
stimulus and there is the possibility of the stimulus tapering."

Growing concerns about a pullback in the program contributed to the
Dow's largest weekly drop in more than a year last week. In the bond
market, the U.S. benchmark 10-year note yield touched a two-year high of
2.90 percent on Monday.

Market breadth deteriorated in
the latter stages of trading. The cumulative net of trades on listed
stocks was slanted by over 32,000 to the negative, the largest disparity
since June 20, the day after Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said the Fed
could reduce its bond-buying plan.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.dji> fell 71.11 points or
0.47 percent, to 15,010.36, the S&P 500 <.spx> lost 9.77
points or 0.59 percent, to 1,646.06 and the Nasdaq Composite
<.ixic> dropped 13.692 points or 0.38 percent, to 3,589.086.

The S&P 500 closed below its 50-day moving average for a second
consecutive session, a technical support level which could portend
further declines.

SGX seeks to reduce standard board lot size to 100 units

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Exchange (SGX) is seeking to
reduce the standard board lot size of securities listed on the exchange
from 1,000 to 100 units.

SGX is consulting the public on the proposed move, before it makes a formal application to the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

In
a statement released on Monday, SGX said it aims to introduce the
smaller board lot size by the first quarter of next year. It added that
this move is "subject to regulatory approval and member readiness".

This proposal is being made with a view to reduce the standard board lot size to one unit in the longer term.

SGX said the smaller board lot size will benefit both retail and institutional investors.

Retail
investors will find investing in index component stocks and blue chips
more affordable, and need not be limited to lower-priced penny stocks.

Institutional investors will be able to better manage their risk exposures through finer asset allocation of funds.

In commemoration of its 45th Anniversary, themed “Shaping the
Future”, Keppel Corporation commits $12 million to National Art Gallery,
Singapore in support of its centre for art education, to be named
Keppel Centre for Art Education

Committed to shaping the future, Keppel Corporation presented, as a
gift to children of Singapore, the commitment of $12 million to National
Art Gallery for its centre for art education, which will be named
Keppel Centre for Art Education.

Has Kep Corp forgot about its own shareholders in commemoration of its 45th Anniversary?
Uncle8888 has just realised that ...

In 2013, its shareholders are rewarded with ....

H2 FY2012, final dividend of cash: $0.27 and dividend in specie: $0.274. Total of $0.544H1 FY2013, interim dividend of cash: $0.10 and dividend in specie: $0.108

Total of $0.208

Grand Total of dividends in 2013: $0.752!!!So, for Uncle8888, it has been translated to Yield on Investment Cost in 2013 for his three positions in Kep Corp as 57.1%, 23.4%, and 6.2% respectively.Thank you for not forgetting us in celebrating your 45 years! It is the highest in your dividend history for the year: 2013!

Looking forward to celebrating 50 years and bigger reward waiting for shareholders?

Friday, 16 August 2013

"Our personal experience is our best teacher ifonly we can learn from it." - Createwealth8888Battle Plan

From the above, it is not too difficult for Uncle8888 to visualise and formulate his investing strategy for the next Bull-Bear Battle.Uncle88888 will just need to avoid those few silly mistakes made in 2007/08 to win!

Those who are aggressive as wolves can make lots of money whereas those
are as meek as sheep only stand to lose. Sheep have limited visibility
as they can only see three feet ahead. Wolves can stand at the mountain
top and look down the mountain so they can see further.

Wolves are also loners and sheep are in pack.

This is the wolf's mentality. When wolves go for the kill, they attack
with speed. They act swiftly when it comes to reaping the rewards.
All the entrepreneurs who are to make profits have wolf-like personalities.

Be a shark is ideal

However, being like a wolf does not guarantee success. It would be ideal if you could position yourself like a shark.
A shark can go without food for three weeks. When it spotted its target
it can surge forward at the fastest speed and kills it with one bite.

Don't be Rabbit

First, happy Lunar Rabbit Year to you. Since it is the Year of Rabbit,
but it doesn't mean that you have to invest like a Rabbit. If you behave
like rabbit, it will be hard for you to make big money from the stock
market.

Don't be like a rabbit. When a rabbit chews on its carrot; it would look
at it, put it down and repeat the cycle continuously. A rabbit always
take small bites. It is just like small retail investors earn small and
quick profits. But, eventually, they would be devoured by BBs who are
like eagles.

Be predators

Predators are like wolves, eagles and sharks and they always go for the
kill. Their attacks are deadly. So good investors must be vicious, must
be able to bear with certain situations and must have accurate
foresight.

Predators have great patience. Yes. You too need to be patient when it
is disadvantage to you. Accurate predictions and vicious attacks are
also essential. You can only succeed when you have these three
attributes.

Bull's Eye Technique

No matter what industry is, you need to spot the leading stocks
in that industry. You will only reap the rewards in the leading stocks
and not the secondary stocks. Those small companies are lacking in
competition so you need to buy the best stocks to win big.

Shares of information technology giant
Cisco lost 7.2 percent after it reported a "softening" outlook in
emerging economies and announced it would cut 4,000 jobs.

Walmart
meanwhile released disappointing earnings and slashed its 2013 forecast
citing weak consumer spending in the US and foreign markets.That sent it
shares tumbling 2.6 percent.
At the same time, a strong
improvement in weekly unemployment insurance claims suggested a
tightening of the jobs market, adding to expectations that the Federal
Reserve will beging tapering its bond-buying stimulus program soon.

Dan
Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG, said Thursday's data "led
people to increase their odds of the Fed reducing purchases in
September," prompting a rise in bond yields that unnerved equity
markets.

Another tech-sector Dow component, Intel, fell 2.4
percent after RW Baird downgraded the company. The Baird note cited
Intel's heavy leverage to the declining personal computer market, among
other factors, according to Barron's.

Walmart, the world's largest
retailer, lost 2.6 percent on the day. Fellow retailer and Dow
component Home Depot fell 3.0 percent.

Kohl's, another retailer,
rose 5.3 percent after reporting earnings of $1.04 per share, one penny
shy of expectations. The company also trimmed its full-year profit
forecast.
Cosmetic giant Estee Lauder jumped 3.4 percent after
reporting earnings of $94 million, 84 percent above last-year's level.
Full-year and quarterly profits also bested analyst expectations, in
part due to strong results in its skin-care products.

Bond prices
fell. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury rose to 2.76 percent from
2.71 percent after getting as high as 2.82 percent, while the 30-year
increased to 3.79 percent from 3.75 percent. Bond prices and yields move
inversely.

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About Me

I am 60+ yrs old uncle living in HDB heartland who has retired @ 60 on 30 Sep 2016.
I have been doing long-term investing and short-term trading in Singapore stock market only since Jan 2000 and now becoming full-time retail investor. So I am that Panda or Koala in the investment world; but I am still surviving well in the wild.
I have two sons and one daughter; two working adult children and the youngest son is currently in his 1st year SUTD.
I am currently executing my Three Taps solution model to maintain sustainable retirement income for life till 2038
Cheers!
Last updated: 16 Oct 2016

Disclaimer

Disclaimer: Stock trading involves significant risks. Create Wealth trader is not a licensed Investment Adviser and will not be responsible for any losses which you incurred. You are advised to always do your own homework before making any trading decision.